Business leaders, labor groups and elected officials rallied at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Wednesday demanding that the third westbound lane on the upper deck be reopened to vehicles.

Frustrated with the morning traffic, protesters said the experimental bike and pedestrian path across the span has made the commute worse than ever. The barrier-protected, 10-foot, bidirectional path was introduced in 2019 as a four-year pilot project.

A proposal to reopen the lane for emergency vehicles and breakdowns has been discussed since the pilot period ended. The proposal would make the lane available Monday through Friday to accommodate the commute traffic, and then restore the path Fridays through Sundays.

That would provide relief, protesters said, but dissent over the issue has led to inaction and growing tension.

“Thousands upon thousands of workers, including many of our members, must drive across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to get to work. Riding a bicycle is not a viable option for any of them,” said Rollie Katz, executive director of the Marin Association of Public Employees, the union that represents the majority of the county’s employees, including the lowest-paid workers.

Katz said more than half of the association’s members do not live in Marin, and many commute from Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“These are working people who cannot afford to live in Marin County,” Katz said. “This is a matter of equity for us.”

Mike Ghilotti, chief executive officer and president of Ghilotti Bros. Inc. in San Rafael, said his construction company has 270 workers in the field and about 100 more in administration and support positions — many of them commuters from the East Bay.

“We just need a commonsense solution to reopen the lane for emergencies,” Ghilotti said.

Ghilotti said his workers who live in the East Bay report leaving home an hour early or more to arrive to work on time because of the unpredictability of the daily slog across the span. He said when there are wrecks or breakdowns on the bridge it creates chokepoints, lengthening the already long commute.

Path use estimates suggest an average of 140 bicycle trips per weekday and 360 trips on Saturday and Sunday.

“We can’t have a majority of the commuters suffer in traffic because a small minority who want to use the path for recreation on the off-commute hours,” Ghilotti said.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors also supports the cause.

“The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is a vital artery for our region, carrying nearly 80,000 vehicles a day and connecting workers, families, and businesses,” Marin County Supervisor Brian Colbert said. “I support an immediate solution to the traffic crisis, and it’s time to restore reliability and safety to this essential commute corridor.”

The rally was organized by the Bay Area Council, a regional business-sponsored, public-policy advocacy organization. It has been calling on bridge managers to remove the path to give some relief to East Bay residents who work in Marin and Sonoma counties.

Though the pilot period has ended, the path has remained open as planners and consultants continue to study its effects. Policymakers say they are seeking an option for the bridge that provides the best access for all users.

Ahead of a key hearing to make the part-time lane change, Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission withdrew the proposal to consider some modifications.

The Bay Area Toll Authority Oversight Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to support the modified proposal, which includes pursuing a part-time westbound carpool lane.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission staff said a feasibility study found two potential alternatives to make it happen, both projected to significantly lower commute times.

One alternative would be to modify the bridge only, and the other would involve improvements in San Rafael to handle traffic from three lanes coming off the bridge.

Construction costs are estimated at $14 million for the bridge-only improvements and $45 million for the larger project.

Those estimates, however, do not include the cost for potential environmental mitigations that might be required by the state. Estimates also do not include structural strengthening costs that could be required to support the moveable barrier used for the bike path, if the path is to continue to be made available on weekends, staff said.

The vote on Wednesday authorized staff to work with Caltrans to form a project team to initiate the environmental review of a third westbound lane. The process could begin this summer.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Bay Area Toll Authority have asked for a public hearing with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission for their modified proposal. They expect a hearing in July.

Commissioners also received updates on projects to convert the bridge to open-road tolling, and to add a commuter lane on the westbound approach to the bridge on the Richmond side. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters, who serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Francisco Bay Conservation Development Commission, said she thinks the changes coming will be well received.

“There’s much anticipation to getting some traffic relief during the work week,” Moulton-Peters said.

Warren Wells, policy and planning director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, said the organization remains committed to maintaining 24/7 access to the multiuse path on the bridge.

“Those calling for a third westbound lane on the bridge fail to acknowledge that any congestion relief will be short-lived, and that the project will result in increased greenhouse gas emissions and more traffic on Marin’s roads,” he said.